


Teenage Blunder

by SonnyD



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Friendship, High School, M/M, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-02-10 03:29:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18651988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonnyD/pseuds/SonnyD
Summary: “Are you sure that he asked you out?” Tony asked, picking at his lasagne. “It wasn’t just some misguided delusion that you dreamt up to keep yourself entertained while you wait in pining for your crush to notice you?”Sam rolled his eyes, “Yes and no. Why are you like this?”Tony shrugged, “Just wanted to make sure. I mean, this is a bit of stretch to fit into the realm of possibilities.”“You saying that Bucky would never ask me out?”“You said it, not me.”*********************************************************************************************************************************In high school, Sam had a huge crush on his classmate, Bucky Barnes. Choosing to ignore his best friend's ridiculous rivalry with Bucky's own best friend, all Sam wanted was a single date. Unbeknownst to him, it was going to take one little lie and years of living in the dark to get it.





	1. The Big Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Hey people! This is just another idea I've had swimming around in my head for a while. Now, I started writing this before I watched Endgame and needless to say, I was unprepared for the way it would make me feel when I picked up writing after the movie. I pushed through though. Before I start, I just want to state that I, in no way, shape or form, hate Tony. He's one of my favourite characters and it was not my intention to make him look like the bad guy in this story. He just seemed like the best fit for the role and trust me, he'll learn his lesson. Also, this was based off of a Golden Girls episode named "What a Difference a Date Makes". Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy.

“You know, if you just stopped undressing him with your eyes, you might just be able to, oh, I don‘t know…talk to him.”

Sam rolled his eyes, reluctantly tearing his gaze away from the object of his affections to look at his friend. Tony raised his eyebrows in response, looking back at him expectantly.

“Come on, man. I can’t do that.”

Tony smirked, “Do what? Stop undressing him or talking to him?”

“Talking to him, obviously,” Sam muttered, scowling.

“And why not?” Natasha piped up from beside him.

“I’m sorry, but have you seen Bucky?” Sam replied, incredulously. “He’s hot!”

Natasha shrugged, “You’re hot too. I don’t see your point.”

Sam would have taken it for a compliment had she not said it so matter-of-fact.

“My point is that I can’t bring myself to talk to him. He’s just…out of my league.”

“Out of your league?” Tony asked, his tone disbelieving. “This is Steve Rogers’ friend we’re talking about here.”

“Shut up, Tony. This doesn’t concern your rivalry,” Natasha interjected. “We’re talking about Sam and his inability to talk to his crush.”

Sam started to nod before his brain caught up to what she said. He glared at Natasha, not that she was affected anyway.

“What she said. Though I wouldn’t do say it so crudely.”

“But when did _you_ suddenly become so shy?” Tony teased.

“Hey, we can’t all be like you, Mr. Manwhore.”

Always one for theatrics, Tony gasped, dramatically clutching at his chest in offence. He looked to Natasha for backup but then again, he should have known better. She merely looked on with disinterest, popping her gum as usual. Tony rolled his eyes as he straightened himself. He opened his mouth to say something, most likely protest at his “obvious” mistreatment, when the bell rang much to his friends’ relief.

“Just go talk to him,” Natasha said, before dragging Tony away to class. Sam glanced over at his crush one last time, sighing longingly before leaving for his class as well.

* * *

 

Sam looked up from his book when he heard someone clear their throat from in front of him. He felt his mouth go dry and his tongue getting heavy at the sight of Bucky standing in front of his desk. The other boy seemed just as nervous, smiling unsurely as he shifted his feet.

“Uh, hey Sam.”

Sam squeaked before quickly coughing to cover it up, “Hey, Bucky! What’s up?”

No, that was too high-pitched. Gosh, why couldn’t he do anything right? He was such a dork!

“Nothing much. I actually came over here to ask you something.”

“Really? Ask me what?”

Bucky seemed to blush, his smile turning endearingly bashful. Sam nearly cooed at the sight.

“If you’re free on Saturday, I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go out on a date?”

Sam blinked, his mind slowly processing what he had just been asked. Had Bucky really just asked him out? On a date? Sam couldn’t believe it. A date with his crush! When he accepted, of course.

“Yes! I mean, I would love to.”

Bucky grinned and Sam found himself returning the gesture.

“Great. I’ll see you around then,” Bucky said, making to turn around.

“Wait, how will you talk to me? I don’t have your number.”

Bucky blushed, “Uh, I have yours. I asked Steve for it a few weeks ago.”

“Oh. Well, okay then.”

“So, uh, later?”

“Later.”

Bucky smiled one last time before leaving to go back to his seat. Sam waited until he was properly out of ear shot before he sighed dreamily, dropping his head onto his desk.

* * *

 

“So, he just came up to you like that?”

“Yeah. It was amazing, Nat.”

Sam couldn’t find it in himself to be offended when his friend scoffed at his silliness. He was happy and that was all that mattered. Unfortunately, his friends seemed to think otherwise.

“Are you sure that he asked you out?” Tony asked, picking at his lasagne. “It wasn’t just some misguided delusion that you dreamt up to keep yourself entertained while you wait in pining for your crush to notice you?”

Sam rolled his eyes, “Yes and no. Why are you like this?”

Tony shrugged, “Just wanted to make sure. I mean, this is a bit of stretch to fit into the realm of possibilities.”

“You saying that Bucky would never ask me out?”

“You said it, not me.”

Sam glared at his friend, not even hesitating before he pushed the other boy off of the bench. Natasha snorted without looking up from her phone, spearing a slice of tomato from her salad with her fork. People from other tables looked over at the commotion and Tony flashed them a megawatt smile as he stood up.

“Nothing to see here, folks. I know you all find me appealing and hard to stay away from but you can get back to your lunch now.”

He reclaimed his seat, scowling at Sam, who looked not even the sightless bit guilty.

“Was that necessary?”

“Duh.”

“No, it wasn’t. You’re just an ass.”

“Call me what you will, Tony, but that doesn’t make you any less of the same thing.”

“True,” Natasha murmured. Sam smiled triumphantly before returning to his burger.

“You know what, Romanoff?” Tony started.

Natasha smirked, finally looking up, “What’s that, Stark?”

“I’m getting real tired of your attitude.”

“Only now?”

“Well –”

“Not when she laughed at the time your chemistry homework got stuck under your new machine?” Sam interjected.

“I didn’t realise it was there –”

“Or when I refused to help after you spilled your coffee over your lap?” Natasha continued.

“Now, that just mean –”

“Or the time you –”

“Okay, I get it,” Tony snapped. “Nat’s a bad friend.”

“It’s a special talent of mine,” Natasha said with a shrug.

“Anyway, do you know when this date’s gonna happen?”

Sam shook his head, “He said he’d call me.”

“Well, you can always come over to my place to get ready.”

Sam raised an eyebrow as he thought it over. It was a good way to let of some steam before his date and he could get Nat’s expertise on wardrobe planning.

“You in, Romanoff?” he asked, turning to look at his redheaded friend.

“Sure.”

“Then, I guess I am too.”

Tony smiled primly before going back to eating his lunch, ignoring Natasha’s curious gaze.

* * *

 

Sam was practically buzzing with excitement as he rang the doorbell. He tried to take a deep breath to calm himself down but it did nothing for his nerves. He couldn’t believe that he was actually going to go on a date with Bucky Barnes. It was one of the things that he, admittedly, dreamed about. Even with Tony’s stupid (and not to mention, one-sided) rivalry with Steve, Sam wasn’t deterred by the fact that Bucky was the blond’s best friend. Tony would just have to deal with it. Before his imagination could really get away, the door opened to reveal a tall, formally dressed man with greying hair.

“Ah, Mister Wilson,” he greeted, stepping to the side to let Sam enter. “The young master and Miss Romanoff are in the family room.”

“Thanks, Jarvis,” Sam said, letting the butler take his bag before making his way to the family room. It was in there that he found Tony and Natasha lazing on the couch as they watched some soap opera on TV.

“Hey, look who’s here!” Tony exclaimed, waving half-heartedly at Sam. Natasha only hummed in greeting, her gaze entirely focused on the TV.

“Is this really what you guys are watching?”

“You have no right to judge us. You like it too.”

Sam shrugged, unable to deny the statement. He sat down beside Natasha, reaching across her lap to grab the popcorn bowl out of Tony’s grip. They wrestled a little over the bowl before Natasha suddenly pinched Tony in his side, causing him to yelp as he let go of the bowl. Sam snickered at the betrayed look on his face as he pouted, rubbing his side.

“I hope you guys know that this friendship is abusive,” he muttered.

“Then why do you keep hanging out with us?” Natasha murmured.

“It’s because he has no other choice,” Sam cackled, taking out a handful of popcorn from the bowl.

Tony gasped, “Hey, I can make other friends!”

“But who are you going to meet that’s as amazing as us?”

“Trust me. It won’t be hard.”

Sam was tempted to throw some popcorn at him for the jab but resorted to sticking out his tongue instead, lest he get a pinch from Natasha himself. He received the gesture right back from Tony before they settled into a comfortable silence, sharing the popcorn between them. Tony knew that he was only joking. He could never find people to replace his friends. They meant too much to him for that to work. That being said, he knew that he had to do what was best for them. Even if they didn’t think so.


	2. One Little Lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Here's another chapter. Now, I should repeat that I have no bad feelings towards Tony. Like I said earlier, I just figured he was the best person for the role. Now, without further adieu, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter.

Sam had only been on a grand total of five dates. It was technically four since taking Missy Banbury out for ice cream in sixth grade to cheer her up when her friends dumped her didn’t really count. It didn’t matter anyway because either way, it made him inexperienced. He didn’t know how many dates Bucky had gone on but he was pretty sure that it was least a little more than him. He didn’t know what to expect from the other boy or their date. It was exciting in a weird way. It gave him a little thrill. It made him want to do his happy dance. It made him want to throw up.

“Hey, hey,” Tony’s voice cut through the thick fog of his musings. “You’re not blanking out on me, are you?”

“Sorry. ‘m just nervous,” Sam muttered.

Tony snorted, “Yeah, I can tell.”

He pointed to Sam’s shaking hand, which he quickly put under his thigh. Tony sighed, dropping the shirt in his hand on the bed in order to clutch his friend’s shoulder.

“Everything’s gonna be fine. Stop worrying,” he smiled. “Besides, that’s my thing.”

Sam chuckled as he nodded. He opened his mouth to thank Tony for calming him down when Natasha suddenly appeared from within the depths of the closet. She threw a few clothes at Sam before pointing to the bathroom. He sighed, hefting the pile in his arms as he stood up from the bed. He went into the bathroom to change, leaving Tony and Natasha in the room as he closed the door behind him.

“So, feel like ordering pizza?” Tony asked, flopping down onto the bed.

“Sure,” Natasha agreed, collapsing into the desk chair.

“I’ll see if I can convince Jarvis.”

Tony got up after a moment, leaving the room to head downstairs. He may or may not have done that partially to escape being in a room alone with Natasha. He didn’t know if he could handle the questioning. He went to into kitchen and mad work of his promise, doing his best to convince Jarvis to order pizza. Eventually, his techniques worked and two large pizzas were on their way. As he began to make his way upstairs, there was a loud chime as someone rang the doorbell.

Thinking quickly, Tony immediately turned to the foyer, telling Jarvis that he would answer it. The butler eventually went away, casting a suspicious glance at his young ward before leaving. Tony opened the door, leaning against the frame as he stared at the person the other side.

“Uh, hey Tony,” Bucky greeted, awkwardly. He shifted nervously, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“Barnes,” Tony replied, coolly. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before Bucky spoke.

“So, is Sam ready?” he asked.

Tony grimaced, crossing his arms, “Yeah, about that…”

Bucky frowned, “What? Did something happen?”

 _‘To Sam’?_ Was the silent end of his sentence, they both knew, but neither acknowledged it.

“Not exactly. You see, Sam changed his mind about going out with you.”

“Changed his mind? Wait, what?”

“Yeah. He said something about it not being worth it anymore. I’m not sure; he was speaking fast. Either way, he doesn’t want to go out with you,” Tony said with a casual shrug. He was doing his best to sound sympathetic but apathetic seemed to be what was coming across if Bucky’s frown was anything to go by.

“And he just sent you to tell me that instead of coming to do so himself?” the other boy asked, looking almost angry. Well, perhaps upset was the more appropriate term for his expression.

“He didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

Bucky frowned, the furrow in his eyebrows seemingly getting deeper (though Tony doubted that was possible). After a moment of tense silence, his face smoothed out and he appeared almost emotionless, which, to be frank, was more unnerving.

“I see,” was all he said, his voice blank.

“Um…”

“I’ll see you on Monday, I guess.”

That was the last of their exchange before Bucky turned around and left, heading back to his motorcycle parked in the driveway. Well, that was just fine anyway. Tony didn’t want his friend on that death trap. He stepped back, closing the door as the rumble of an engine started from outside.

He frowned, feeling a brief bout of uncertainty before shaking off the feeling. He shouldn’t feel uncertain about anything. He knew what he was doing. He made his way upstairs and back to his room where Sam had finally come out of the bathroom and was conversing with Natasha. They both turned to look at Tony when he entered the room, their gazes unintentionally piercing right through him.

“Was that him?” Sam asked, his face hopeful.

Tony shook his head, “Nope, sorry. Some delivery guy got the wrong address.”

“Oh.”

Sam’s face fell and it made Tony almost regret what he did. He reminded himself that it was for the best as he skipped over to his friend, draping his arm over his shoulder.

“Hey, relax. He’s probably just late. Come on.” he said, guiding Sam out of the room. “We’ll head down to the theatre room and watch something while we wait. I even convinced J to order pizza…”

He continued chattering, hoping to ease Sam’s mind as the three of them made their way downstairs and into the theatre room. They squabbled a little over what movie to pick before settling down. They stayed like that for the next few hours. Sam became increasingly downcast as the hour he and Bucky had agreed on slowly passed. Despite his friends’ best efforts, nothing could be done to cheer him up. It was official. Bucky had ditched him.

“Well, I might as well go to bed.” Sam said, getting up from the couch. “I mean, it’s getting late.”

“Wait, come on. We don’t have to watch a movie, if it’s boring you. We can…I don’t know, play cards or something!”

“I’ll even let you win,” Natasha chimed in. Tony gestured wildly towards her, his face clearly saying ‘See?’ But, Sam wasn’t convinced.

He gave them a shaky smile, “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m just tired, is all.”

Before either of his friends could say anything, he was out of the room, the deep set frown on his face not so discreet. Tony watched him go, a deep ache settling in his chest. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, avoiding Natasha’s piercing gaze for what wasn’t the first time, nor would it be the last. He already felt like a bad enough friend. Thoughts swirled in his mind, agitating his regret. Had he done the right thing? Was this going to benefit Sam? Or was it just for him? All because of some rivalry.

He shook his head. No, he was right. He was always right. He done what was best for Sam and that was all that mattered. So…, why didn’t he feel that way?

* * *

 

Sam frowned, glancing across the hall for what wasn’t the first time. Tony pretended not to see from where he appeared to be invested in his phone. He heard Natasha sigh, which was never a good sign.

“I can always kick his ass for you,” she offered.

Sam shot her a weak smile, “No thanks.”

“Are you sure? I’ve been meaning to try out a new move I learnt.”

“Tempting, but no. It’s fine.”

Natasha pursed her lips but said nothing. Tony remained interested in his phone, taking a sip of his coffee. He nearly jumped when Sam suddenly closed his locker door.

“I’m gonna talk to him.”

Tony finally looked up, scrambling to put away his phone.

“What?”

“I’m going to talk to Bucky. I need to find out what happened the other night,” Sam said, his face determined.

“But you know what happened! He ditched you!”

Sam rolled his eyes, “Thanks a lot, Tony. I need to know why he ditched me.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Yes,” was all Sam said before stepping across the hall. Natasha watched him go, her head tilting curiously.

“You know, Tony,” she started in that slow drawl of hers that made Tony’s skin itch, “if you wanted to hide your nerves, the least you could do is act less jumpy.”

Tony’s mouth opened and closed several times as he tried to think of a response. It was of no use, however. He was rendered speechless. An astonishing feat, really. Eventually, his brain caught up to the conversation.

“I…have nothing to hide.”

“Sooner or later, Stark. Sooner or later.”

* * *

 

Sam approached Bucky nervously, glancing at Steve as he walked away. The two had just ended their conversation and he took that as his cue to try to talk to Bucky. He stopped beside the other boy, leaning against the locker beside his.

“Hey, Bucky.”

Bucky didn’t answer as he continued to switch out his books. Sam frowned, shifting to stand up straight. Was he being ignored?

“So, I kinda wanted to talk to you,” he tried again. Bucky remained silent, zipping up his bag. He reached into his locker once more as Sam began to speak again.

“You know, about the other night…”

He winced, voice trailing off when Bucky suddenly slammed his locker shut. He watched, frowning, as the said boy turned around and walked away, all without looking at Sam. He couldn’t believe it. Bucky had really ignored him – after ditching him the other night, mind you – and walked away like they had never even interacted before. He felt a hand on his shoulder and relaxed into the touch, his shoulders sagging.

“It’s never too late to pass up that offer,” Natasha said.

Sam shook his head, “Thanks, Nat, but no.”

“You, uh…you okay?” Tony asked, hesitantly from his other side.

“I’ll be fine. I just…never knew what an asshole he could be,” he said. “And to believe that I actually thought he was cute.”

His friends smiled at him before pulling him to class, despite the lack of the bell ringing. He smiled and laughed along with them as they cracked jokes on the way but his heart wasn’t in it. What happened with Bucky was not what he had planned out and needless to say, he was upset. He hadn’t expected things to turn out the way they did, but…he was going to live with it. It was just a minor inconvenience in his path.

* * *

 

The rest of their senior year was uneventful to say the least. Sam eventually got over his crush on Bucky. Things were awkward at first, what with their lockers being right across the hall from each other. He soon learnt to overcome and adapt, however, as they basically avoided each other over the course of the next few months. Graduation soon came and it was off to university. Tony got accepted into MIT to no one’s surprise and Natasha decided to go to Julliard out of the group of universities vying for her talent. As for Sam, he received a scholarship to George Washington University to study communications. It was a teary goodbye but he bid adieu to his friends, family and New York, leaving for Washington, D.C.


	3. Blast From the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, wonderful people. Here's another chapter. So, are you enjoying it so far? I love to hear what you guys think. Anyway, hope you all likeit.

“On your left.”

Sam watched, unbothered, as another jogger ran past him. He continued at a leisurely pace, taking in the sights and sounds of D.C. at dawn. Ten years he’d been living there and he never got tired of it. He still missed New York and wished he could visit outside of the holidays but phone and Skype calls, among other things, were all he could do.

“On your left.”

Sam rolled his eyes as he was passed once more, “Yeah, on my left. Got it.”

He fell back into thought, his friends and family coming to mind. He talked to Tony and Natasha almost every day and with his family every few weeks. It kept him updated on the happenings in New York, though he still felt as though something was missing when he couldn’t see them in person. He missed them and vice versa but life was good in D.C.

“On your left.”

Except maybe for that.

“Oh, come on! Seriously?”

He sped up but couldn’t match the pace of the blond jogger who had passed him for the third time in a row. Temptation tried to persuade him to just trip the other man into the reflecting pool but he was better than that. It was a little annoying to be trolled but what could he do? He was no speeding bullet, unlike some people. He finished his lap, taking time to rest under a nearby tree. As he sipped his water, a buff shadow fell over him.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” he joked, looking up. He squinted against the sunlight, shining behind the guy’s head, blocking his view.

“Sam? Sam Wilson?”

The said man frowned, taking a proper look at the stranger when he tilted his head, allowing for a clearer view of his face. And what a familiar face it was.

“Steve Rogers?” Sam said, disbelieving. “Hey, long time no see, man.”

He began to stand up, taking Steve’s offered hand. He got a good look over the other man, taking in his tall, well-built figure. It was a far cry from the scrawny asthmatic he knew back in high school.

“Well, damn, look at you. Been working out or something?”

Steve smiled wryly, shrugging as he crossed his arms. His biceps flexed with the movement and Sam had to admit it, he found it hard to look away.

“Or something.”

“Whatever it is, you might have to let me in on the secret. Can’t keep muscles like that to yourself now, can you?”

Steve chuckled, “No, I guess not,” he paused. “Hey, there’s café nearby if you’d like to catch up?”

He phrased it as a question, giving Sam the option to decline. He thought about for a second. It seemed like a good idea. He wouldn’t mind spending a little more time out and he didn’t have to be at work for another three hours anyway.

“Sure. I’d like that.”

Steve led the way to the café, the two of them making idle chatter as they walked. Once they were seated, each with their respective orders in hand, they began to get to the real conversation.

“So, is this what you’ve been up to since high school?” Sam asked, unwrapping his muffin. “Trolling random people in the park?”

Steve grinned, “Maybe. I’ve found it be a favourite pass time of mine.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised. You always were one to start a fight.”

“Yeah,” Steve said, almost fondly but there was a mischievous gleam in his eyes that led Sam to believe that he had yet to grow out of that habit. “But I actually went to St. John’s after high school.”

“Really? What program?”

“Law.”

Sam’s eyebrow’s raised, “Wow. Now you can let out your anger in the courtroom instead of unsuspecting victims. Your clients must be very happy.”

“Well, I try. I don’t just practice law, though. I also teach an art class in my spare time.”

“Busy man,” Sam noted, taking a sip of his coffee. Steve nodded, lifting his own cup to his lips.

“Yeah, it’s a lot of work, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Ya know?”

“Yeah, I do know. I love what I do.”

“And what’s that?” Steve asked, curiously.

“Oh, I’m a public relations officer at the Smithsonian.’

“Oh, really? I was actually planning on visiting some time. Well, while I’m still here, that is.”

“Well, that brings me to my next question,” Sam said, “What are you doing in D.C?

“Conference,” Steve replied, rolling his eyes.

Sam couldn’t hold back a grin, “Let me guess. It’s boring as hell?”

“You have no idea.”

From there, their conversation surged into bits about their jobs, memories of high school and anything else they’d been to since they graduated. Eventually, they rounded back to the topic of careers, theirs in particular.

“Wait, so you have your own law firm?” Sam asked. “Wow, that’s great, man.”

“Well, it’s not just me. It’s a partnership. Bucky and I started it together.”

Sam swallowed, “Bucky?”

“Yeah. Rogers & Barnes, Attorneys-at-law.”

Sam blinked as he took this in. He hadn’t heard about Bucky since high school. Tony and Natasha had avoided bringing him up in conversation since that disaster of a dateless evening. Sam had appreciated it – really, he had – but he was a big boy. He could handle hearing about the one that got away without breaking down. His friends seemed to think otherwise, however, but he knew better than to try and chastise them for coddling him. They’d just pretend as though he hadn’t said anything. If he were to be honest, Sam didn’t know how to feel about hearing about Bucky. He could be glad for his accomplishments, though.

“That’s sounds amazing,” he said, smiling. “I’m glad for you.”

“Thanks.”

Steve smiled, finishing his coffee. He checked the time on his phone and frowned.

“Sorry, Sam but I’ve got to go,” he said, getting up. “Listen, I’d love to stay in touch with you, if you wouldn’t mind, that is.”

“No, it’s cool.”

Steve began to pat down his pockets as he searched for something before triumphantly pulling out a pen. He scribbled down his number on a napkin and handed it to Sam.

“If you’re ever back in New York or, you know…if you just feel like it –”

Sam laughed, “I’ll call you.”

They exchanged a hug before Steve left, Sam watching after him as he slowly disappeared into the busy street. He glanced down at the napkin, thumbing over Steve’s number before tucking it into his pocket.

* * *

 

Sam leaned back in his chair, his arms crossing as he observed Tony and Natasha’s bickering on screen. It was as amusing as ever but he couldn’t quite focus as his mind was elsewhere. He decided to bring it up as his friends stopped arguing.

“So, guess who I ran into today,” he said, getting Tony and Natasha’s attention.

“Someone who you can finally date?” Tony asked.

Sam glared at him, “Funny. But no, that’s not it. I ran into Steve Rogers.”

“Really?” Natasha said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. He even gave his number if I ever wanted to talk.”

“Yeah, he’s totally looking for a bang,” Tony remarked.

Sam raised an eyebrow, “Could you be anymore crass?”

“Hold on. Give me a minute.”

“Shut up, Tony. Anyway, he told me that, apparently, he and Bucky have their own law firm.”

“Rogers & Barnes,” Natasha replied.

“Wait, you knew?” Sam asked, his jaw dropping in surprise as Natasha shrugged.

“I do live in New York, Wilson.”

“But you knew and you didn’t tell me? Nat!”

“The only reason I didn’t tell you is because Tony is a coward.”

“Hey!”

“He didn’t want you to know that Steve actually became successful. He’s just jealous.”

“That I can believe,” Sam laughed, taking in the mock offense on Tony’s face. He enjoyed talking to his friends, teasing and laughing like they always did. It was a shame that they couldn’t do it very often.

“Why am I always being teased here?” Tony asked with a frown.

“Because you make it so easy,” Sam replied, grinning. Tony rolled his eyes but Sam could see his lips twitching into a smile.

“You know, one day I won’t stand for this treatment any longer and you guys will both be sorry.”

“Yeah, keep talking.”


	4. New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Sam was happy with his job. He came in early, he did what he was asked and more, he got along well with his co-workers and he was good at what he did. He figured his life was set. Everything was fine. It was all going great and he was happy with what he’d achieved. He hadn’t expected to get called into his boss’ office a few months after his run in with Steve. He had prepared himself for the worst (though he had done nothing to warrant a reprimand) but was pleasantly surprised when he was offered a promotion instead. There was just one thing, his boss had said. The position was at the Smithsonian in New York City. Sam told her he’d sleep on it.

* * *

 

In reality, Sam already knew what he wanted. He was leaning towards the decision to accept the promotion. It was in New York, after all, where the people he was closest to were. Not to mention the fact that it was a _promotion_. He had been working his ass off enough for this to really mean something to him. Before he accepted, however, he wanted to break the news to his friends. He Skyped them that night, hoping that they’d both pick up.

“Hey, birdbrain. Miss me?” Tony greeted once he had signed on. Sam rolled his eyes but before he could answer with a witty retort, Natasha chose that moment to enter the call.

“What are you boys up to?” she asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Why do we have to be up to anything?” Sam questioned, incredulously.

“Are you kidding? It’s you guys.”

Sam opened his mouth to protest but then thought about it and shrugged.

“Okay, yeah,” he agreed, “but that’s not why I called you guys. I have something to tell you.”

“Are you dying?” Tony asked, immediately.

“No. What the hell?”

Tony shrugged, looking unforgiving, “It was a possibility.”

“You see? _This_ is why we make fun of you.”

“I’ll have you know that I am a genius, billi –”

“So, Sam, what did you want to tell us?” Natasha asked, speaking over Tony.

“Oh, yeah. So, I had a meeting with my boss the other day and she gave me some pretty interesting news.”

“Which was…?”

“I’m getting a promotion,” Sam said, allowing his friends to cheer for a moment. “And it’s a reposition to New York.”

“That’s great, Sam,” Natasha said, smiling.

“Yeah, that’s amazing,” Tony continued, “When are you moving?”

“Uh, about that…I haven’t accepted the offer yet,” Sam replied, sheepishly.

“Excuse me?”

“I wanted to tell you guys first.”

“Sam Wilson,” Natasha started, “you are an idiot.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Tony interjected.

Sam rolled his eyes but he couldn’t help but smile as his friends teased him. He couldn’t wait until he moved back.

* * *

 

“Yes, mama. I’ll call you as soon as my plane lands…Yeah, I know…Alright. Bye…Love you too.”

Sam hung up, tucking his phone in his pocket as he checked his bags once again. He knew he had everything but it didn’t hurt to make sure that he was ready. Going through the rooms in the almost bare apartment, he did a quick run-through in his head, ensuring that he was prepared for his trip. His suitcases were packed up. His apartment was free of his possessions which were already in boxes and sent on their way to NYC. He couldn’t believe it. He was really moving back home.

Sam sighed, sparing one last glance at the place before he took up his things and left, heading downstairs where his cab was waiting. The ride to the airport was uneventful and he was able to arrive early enough to check in long before his flight and wait. He had just settled down with a book when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Checking the caller ID, he let a sigh before answering.

“Tony, for the last time, I will call you when I get there.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Tony replied. “Can’t I just be excited?”

“I never said there was anything wrong with that. Besides, it’s not the first time I’m coming back since I moved to D.C.”

“Yes, but this time, it’s permanent,” Tony insisted.

“It’s an hour and a half flight,” Sam reminded him. “I’ll be there before you know it.”

“And you’re sure you don’t want my jet to pick you up? It’s not too late.”

Sam smiled, “I already checked in. I’m fine flying commercial.”

“Well, if you insist. I’ll see you later. Oh, by the way, Nat’s anxious to see you too. Hey! Ow!”

There was the sound of a scuffle on the other end of the line, two voices arguing over the possession of the phone as Sam laughed. Suddenly, he heard the call disconnect and still chuckling, he put up his phone and went back to reading. Eventually, his flight was called and before he knew it, he was on his way to New York. After landing and making his way through baggage claim and customs, Sam found a familiar man standing by the waiting area.

“Happy,” he greeted, approaching the other man. “How’s it been, man?”

“Oh, good. I’m good. I’ll take those,” Happy replied, reaching for a suitcase.

“Thanks.”

Happy led him to a sleek, black town car (As per Sam’s request after he found out that Tony was sending his driver for him. The last thing he needed was to draw attention with a limousine) and began to put his things in the trunk. Sam got in the back seat and pulled out his phone to text his friends of his arrival. He noted that the car began to move as he dialed his mother’s number afterwards.

“Hello?”

“Hey, mama. I’m in New York.”

“Oh, that’s great,” Darlene said, sounding pleased.

“Yeah. I’ll be there soon, alright?”

“Of course. I can’t wait to see again.”

Sam grinned, staring out at the familiar landscape, “I can’t wait to see you too.”

They said their goodbyes and Sam spent the rest of the ride making small talk with Happy. They made good time, arriving at Sam’s childhood home within a short time. When he stepped through the door, he couldn’t stop a full blown smile from creeping onto his face as he took in the sight of his family and friends standing in his mother’s living room.

“Well, what do you know?” he started. “You guys do care.”

His mother rolled her eyes as she came forward to wrap him in a hug. Everyone else followed suit and soon, the party was underway, people eating and mingling. Sam found himself to be quite the social butterfly that evening, flitting from group to group as he caught up with people he hadn’t seen in months and even years. Eventually, when the house was basically empty of guests, he ended up with Tony and Natasha on the back porch. It brought back memories of when they were younger and came out there, just talking and messing around as they always did. It made Sam smile as he sipped what was left of his lemonade.

“What are you smiling about?” Tony asked, nudging Sam’s foot with his own. He was perched on the railing, sitting across from Natasha and Sam where they were sprawled out on the wicker loveseat, their legs intertwined.

“Just happy to be back.”

“Well, we’re happy to have you back,” Natasha said, casually with a shrug.

“Do my ears deceive me?” Tony asked, dramatically. “Or did Natasha Romanoff just express real…feelings?”

Natasha glared at him, “I just want you to know, Stark, that I am not afraid of pushing you off of that railing.”

Sam laughed as Tony frowned down at their friend.

“Why must you threaten me?” he asked. “I thought we were friends.”

“You continue to try and tease me and we’ll see about that.”

“Hey, he laughed! I don’t think I should be the only one punished.”

Sam frowned, “Don’t bring me into this. I – ow!”

He reached down to rub his thigh where Natasha had kicked him and glared at Tony.

“You’re gonna pay for that.”

“She was the one who kicked you!”

“Yeah, but you suggested it!”

“I never said specifically to kick.”

As Sam continued to bicker with Tony while Natasha watched from the sidelines, he was glad for the promotion he got. Without it, he wouldn’t have been permanently reconnected with his best friends and he wouldn’t have been able to come back to New York so quickly. He wondered what else would happen while he was back.


	5. The Partial Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Hope you all enjoy this new chapter.

After living in New York for a few days, Sam was finally able to get out of his mother’s hair once his stuff had arrived. He moved into his fully furnished apartment and started at his new job within the same week. It was after he had been living there for a few weeks and was beginning to settle down did he remember to call Steve. He contacted the other man and they agreed to meet at a bistro for lunch the next day.

“Sam, hey,” Steve greeted, standing to hug him once he was close enough. “I was wondering when you’d call.”

“Well, I just got around to it. Took me a while to unpack,” Sam said as they sat down. He watched Steve’s eyebrows furrow as he processed what was said.

“Unpack? Wait, are you…?”

Sam grinned, “I just moved here a few weeks ago.”

“That’s great! It’s good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back.”

Steve nodded and a comfortable silence fell over them as they browsed through the menu. A waitress came over to the table and got their drink orders before leaving.

“So, what brought you back?” Steve asked, putting down his menu. “If you don’t mind me asking, I mean…”

“Oh, I got a promotion. I decided it was a good idea to come back to my roots, you know?”

“Well, that’s good. That’s good.”

There was another pause in their conversation as the waitress returned with their drinks and asked what they wanted for entrees. She left with their orders and Steve began to speak as Sam took a sip of his coke.

“Tony and Natasha must be pretty happy to have you back.”

Sam smiled, “I’d sure hope so.”

“You know, I wish I knew you were coming back. I would have gotten you something. Maybe Tony forgot to tell me.”

“Forgot to tell you?” Sam repeated, confused. Why would Tony tell Steve anything? Didn’t he still dislike him, for whatever weird reason?

“Yeah. We talk every once in a while. We were actually at a fundraiser about a month ago. He could have told me then.”

Sam still couldn’t wrap his head around the situation. Tony was on speaking terms with Steve? What happened to that – albeit one sided – rivalry they had in high school? Had Tony really gotten over it? And he didn’t tell Sam? He really needed to have a talk with his friends on keeping things like this from him. He wanted to ask Steve how their relationship had turned around but thought better of it. Those things were better left to interrogate Tony with.

“I see,” Sam said instead. “So, how’s work? Any interesting cases?”

With that, their conversation was steered elsewhere as Steve got into storytelling, describing some of the weirdest and most interesting cases that he and/or Bucky had ever worked on. In return, Sam told him of the wildest things that occurred while he was at work. Working in a museum had its weird side too. It was amusing and a great way to pass the time, but Sam wasn’t completely focused on what was being said. In the back of his mind, he kept replaying the earlier conversation.

* * *

 

“You lied to me!”

Sam took great pleasure in seeing Tony jump, scrambling to grab the wrench he had dropped. He crossed his arms, watching as his friend turned around with a ‘deer caught in headlights’ look.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“You’re a liar, Tony Stark,” Sam continued, stalking towards the other man, “I can’t believe you never told me.”

“Never told you?” Tony repeated, his voice bordering on high-pitched.

“Yeah. I mean, you’ve kept this from me for too long. I have spent _way_ too long suffering from your stupid decision.”

“You have?”

“Mhm. I want an apology, Stark.”

Tony stared at him for a moment, taking in the unimpressed expression. He sighed, placing his wrench on the worktable before facing his friend completely.

“I’m sorry, alright. I really am. I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I thought I was doing what was best –”

“Hey, man, it’s cool. I was just messing with you,” Sam laughed, slapping Tony on the shoulder.

Tony blinked, “You were?”

“Yeah. I’m not mad.”

“You’re not?”

“Why so many questions? I’ll admit, I was a little pissed that you had gotten over your petty feud with Steve and didn’t think to tell me, but it’s okay. I know you were probably just embarrassed. The great Tony Stark was actually wrong.”

Tony couldn’t even reply to Sam’s teasing. He almost sagged with relief once he realized what Sam had meant. He had thought that the other man had finally found out about something else. He offered his friend a smirk, putting up a front that was normally used for the media.

“I don’t think that’s possible, birdbrain,” he said. “Steve just admitted to my genius and we just so happened to keep in touch.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “Here we go again. Back to your conceit, is it?”

“It’s not conceit if it’s true.”

“Keep telling yourself that.”

“How’d you get in anyway? J.A.R.V.I.S knows not to let anyone in my lab,” Tony said, as they made their out of the lab and towards the elevator.

“That’s for me to know,” Sam replied, shortly.

“And for me to never find out?”

“Well, you’re the genius, aren’t you?”

They went to the floor above them, entering the main living room of the tower. The only person who was there (and the only other person who permanently lived in Stark Tower) was Pepper, curled up on the couch with a book. She looked up as Sam and Tony entered the room, smiling at the two men.

“Have a good talk?” she asked.

Sam grinned, “The best.”

Tony rolled his eyes before he turned to look at his friend.

“Hey, wanna stay for dinner?”

“No thanks. I promised my mom that I’d stop by. I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, later.”

Sam waved goodbye as he went back to the elevator. Right before the doors closed, he winked at Pepper, causing Tony to immediately turn towards her.

“Uh, what was that about?”

“What was what?” Pepper asked, innocently, getting up to go to the kitchen.

“Don’t play that game, Pep,” Tony said, following behind her, “I saw him wink. You two have a little thing going on there?”

“And by ‘thing’ you mean…?” Pepper trailed off, waiting for an answer. Tony leaned back against a nearby counter as she grabbed a glass from the cabinet and went to the fridge.

“Did you plan something behind my back?” Tony asked, suspiciously. Pepper poured orange juice into her glass and put back the bottle in the fridge before approaching her fiancé.

“Oh, Tony,” she cooed, patting his cheek, “you and I both know we did.”

She pecked his lips once before leaving. As she walked away, it dawned on Tony what she meant.

“You let him in my lab, didn’t you?”

* * *

 

Sam sat at the kitchen table, drafting up a document. He had been at it for almost two hours and he still had writer’s block. He leaned back in his chair, deciding to take a break since he was obviously getting nowhere. As he began to think about possibly ordering takeout instead of cooking, his phone started to ring, an unknown number flashing on the screen. Sam frowned as he picked it up, sliding his thumb across the screen to answer.

“Hello?”

“Hi. Is this Sam Wilson?”

Sam frowned as he heard the voice on the other end of the line. It was a little familiar but he couldn’t quite place where he had heard it from.

“Yes, this is he. May I ask who’s calling?”

“Oh, I’m not sure if you remember me but this is Bucky. Bucky Barnes.”


	6. The Big Moment No. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. We're getting a little closer to the end now.

Sam’s brain short circuited. He didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t even sure if he had blinked. Had he really heard that right? Bucky Barnes had actually called him. He hadn’t heard from him since high school and boy, was that a bad time.

“Sam? Hello?”

It was then that he remembered that he still hadn’t answered.

“Uh, yeah, I’m here. Sorry, I just…I didn’t expect to hear from you.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured,” Bucky chuckled, sounding sheepish. Sam cursed himself for finding the sound attractive.

“So, how’d you get my number?”

“Stole it from Steve,” Bucky replied and Sam got a sense of déjà vu. “He should change his password. He’s just too predictable. I need a real challenge.”

A startled laugh came from Sam’s mouth, “Yeah, okay.”

A brief silence fell over them and Sam didn't know what to do. Despite being a people person, he felt like he was floundering. He felt out of his element around Bucky, which was, unfortunately, nothing new. Luckily, the other man spoke up before things could get too awkward.

“I know this is weird, me calling you out of the blue after ten years but I heard that you were back in town and I knew that I’d just beat myself up if I didn’t get the chance to talk to you again.”

“Really?” Sam said, suddenly feeling in a joking mood, “Cause I have to admit that I’m not completely convinced.”

“Hmm. Well, would you be willing to talk over dinner?”

Sam nearly choked, “I’m sorry, what?”

“Dinner,” Bucky repeated.

“With you?”

“With me.”

“Alone?”

“Well, I’d sure hope so.”

Sam couldn’t believe it. Bucky actually wanted to be alone with him. He wanted to take him out to dinner and – Wait. Bucky wanted to have _dinner alone_ with Sam. Why did that sound like…?

“Is that a date?” he blurted out without thinking. Sam immediately wanted the ground to swallow him whole. He just couldn’t help himself around Bucky, could he? He began to take back his statement when the other man spoke up.

“If you want it be,” he replied, nonchalantly.

“Oh. Uh, well, okay.”

“Great. I’ll text you later, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Sam agreed, absentmindedly. It was only once they had both hung up did he finally realise the full extent of what had occurred. “What have I done?”

* * *

 

Sam paced up and down his living room. He stopped, looked at his phone sitting innocently on the coffee table and then continued to pace. He had been doing this since he had gotten off the phone with Bucky and there was the problem, wasn’t it? Bucky. That was nothing new. He’d been giving Sam problems since high school, though back then they were a lot more welcome.

Ten years later and he didn’t know how to feel. He was pretty sure he shouldn’t let Bucky waltz back into his life like he never did anything wrong and then ask him out as if the last time it happened, it hadn’t been a complete disaster. Then again, Sam was always a sucker for blue eyes. He at least wanted to hear a proper explanation from Bucky for what he did and not be ignored like last time. That meant it was a good idea to meet with him, right? Sam didn’t know.

_‘But,’_ he thought, stopping to look at his phone once again, _‘I can think of someone who should.’_

* * *

 

Sam thought it to be in good taste to wait until they were finished with dinner to bring up his little talk with Bucky. Then again, Sam thought many things that his friends didn’t agree with.

“Someone called me yesterday,” he said, staring at the wine in his glass.

“Wow, your life is pretty interesting,” Tony quipped before downing what was left in his own glass. “What does it feel like to actually have a social life?”

“Someone I hadn’t heard from in ten years,” Sam continued, as though Tony hadn’t spoken. “It’s a lot more complicated than Steve, though.”

Natasha studied him from across the table, her fiery curls swaying slightly in the gentle breeze. They were seated out on the balcony of her apartment, having just had dinner. Gaining a little liquid courage from the wine, Sam had finally decided that it was a good time to talk about Bucky.

“When are you ever going to _not_ get in trouble, Wilson?” Natasha questioned, her lips tilting in an amused smirk. “So, Bucky finally got in touch with you. Interesting, indeed. You should have said something earlier.”

A sudden hacking noise surprised Sam and he immediately turned to pat Tony on the back. The billionaire’s chest heaved with a few coughs as his windpipe rejected the wine he had just happened to be drinking.

“Woah, you okay, man?” Sam asked, concern lacing his voice. Tony nodded, waving dismissively at his friend as he tried to hand him a napkin. He dabbed his mouth with one that he already had clutched in his hand.

“I’m fine. Just went down the wrong tube, you know?” he admitted, casually, ignoring Natasha’s eye roll.

Sam frowned, “Take it easy,” and suddenly, he grinned. “You’re not as young as you used to be.”

“We’re almost the same age! In fact, I’m younger than you!”

“By like, a year,” Sam replied, flippantly. “Besides, you look older.”

“I’ll have you know that the silver fox look is in right now,” Tony commented, indignantly.

“Whatever floats your boat, Tony. Anyway, yes, Bucky did call me.”

Natasha hummed curiously, “What did he want?”

“He…wanted to talk. Even stole my number from Steve and everything,” Sam explained.

“Cute.”

“And he said it was a date.”

“He what?” Tony exclaimed. Sam gave him a confused look and he quickly sat back in his chair to appear casual. From Natasha’s sigh, he figured that he hadn’t achieved the look he was going for.

“Yeah. He asked me out to dinner and when I asked him if it was a date, he said yes.”

“Tell me you said no,” Tony pleaded.

“What did you say?” Natasha asked, leaning forward to rest her arms on the table.

Sam smiled unsurely, “I said yes.”

“Who raised you?” Tony asked, tilting his head. “I taught you better than that.”

“It’s not that bad, Tony,” Sam insisted. He didn’t know why the other man was acting so unusually.

“Actually, it might be for the best,” Natasha interjected, giving Tony a pointed look when he opened his mouth to protest. “You can find out why he ditched you. If anything, it will bring you closure.”

“Thank you, Nat,” Sam said, gratefully. “That’s really why I decided to go.”

“I’m sorry, but am I the only one here with common sense? I’m not so sure if going on a date with Bucky is such a good idea. I mean, he _did_ ditch you. That last thing I want is a repeat of that.”

Sam glared at him, crossing his arms. “What the hell is your problem, Tony? You’ve been acting weird since I mentioned Bucky. I thought you got over your feud thing with Steve –”

“And I did –”

“Then why do you keep trying to convince me that going out with his friend is such a bad thing? It’s just a date. I’m not expecting sex out of the guy!”

“But he could expect sex out of you,” Tony retorted. At Sam’s unimpressed expression, he sighed. “Alright, I’m sorry. I’m being a bad friend. I should be supporting you. The truth is…I just don’t want you to be with a lawyer.”

His plan worked as the unexpected joke startled a laugh out of Sam. The other man shook his head, playfully punching Tony on the arm. He smiled back at him, choosing to pretend that he couldn’t see Natasha’s piercing gaze.

“You know, if you want to protect me, you can just say it,” Sam teased. “I can hold my own, but thanks for worrying.”

“I was never worried,” Tony said, sounding aloof. Sam only shook his head and turned back to Natasha. It took Tony a while to re-join the conversation and even when he did, no amount of joking or laughing could erase the feeling of something clenching his heart.

* * *

 

_‘Maybe I should just cancel. He wouldn’t mind, would he?’_

Sam had been sitting in his car for past ten minutes, trying to ease his nerves. It was obvious that his technique, whatever it was, wasn’t working. He had already driven to the restaurant that he and Bucky had agreed on and was there a little too early, so he figured that he could use the time to do something productive, i.e. freaking out. He didn’t know what had compelled him to go out with Bucky. Maybe Tony was right. Maybe it was for the best if he didn’t go. Wait, no. He was better than that. He wasn’t going to pull a reverse and ditch Bucky instead. That wasn’t how Sam Wilson worked.

Mustering up some courage, he got out of his car and locked it before heading towards the restaurant. He smoothed down his suit as he walked, wanting to at least look decent for the first time Bucky would see him in ten years. As the hostess showed him to his seat, he caught sight of man sitting at the table with his back turned. All Sam could see from his angle was a mop of chestnut brown hair, neatly combed back with what Sam was pretty sure was gel. His nerves came back full force and he tried to ignore the butterflies in stomach.

_‘Please be ugly. Please be ugly. Please be ugly. Please be u-’_

“Bucky?”

The man turned around, getting up from his seat to greet Sam with a smile and wow. Okay. Sam was screwed. That was not the face of someone that anyone could call ugly. Of course, Bucky was still handsome. Gorgeous, really. He had gotten a haircut at some point after high school as gone were the shaggy brown locks that contributed to his grunge look. It was short and slicked back, honey brown highlights peeking through the sea of dark coffee strands. His eyes were still the beautiful blue that Sam remembered, glinting under the chandelier’s lighting. Sam suddenly felt a little faint and Bucky’s suit wasn’t helping. The man had _abs_ , for goodness' sake.

“Hey, Sam,” Bucky said, reaching forward to hug him. Damn it, he smelled good too. “How’ve you been?”

“Good. Everything’s great,” Sam replied as they sat down. The hostess handed him a menu before making her leave. “How are you?”

“Can’t say I’m unhappy,” Bucky said, picking up his menu. Sam saw something gleaming as he moved and blinked upon noticing that it was a metal hand. “You look great. I guess nothing’s changed then.”

Sam couldn’t help his smile, “Well, that goes for both of us.”

Bucky laughed and Sam realised how much trouble he was in. As he watched his date flip through the menu, he just knew that he was either going to end up regretting this night or not wanting to forget it. The only question was: which one would it be?


	7. The Truth Hurts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Sam's finally gonna get his date and the truth.

After getting their drinks, Sam sat back and stared at Bucky as they waited on their orders. He was still trying to wrap his head around seeing the other man after ten years. He wished he was actually as calm as he appeared on the outside. He hated to admit that Bucky still made him lose all common sense but it wasn’t his fault that the other man was good-looking. Pushing thirty and he looked like he belonged on the cover of GQ Magazine. Despite the handsome face to gaze on, Sam kept getting distracted by the occasional flash of metal from Bucky’s left hand. He wondered what happened that led to the lawyer getting a prosthetic but he figured that it wasn’t in good taste to ask such a personal question so soon.

“So, Steve tells me that you work at the Smithsonian,” Bucky said, interrupting Sam’s reverie.

“Uh, yeah. I’m the public relations officer,” Sam replied. “I’m basically the museum’s publicist.”

“That’s nice. You know, I’m actually friends with curator.”

Sam’s eyebrows raised, “Really? How do you know her?”

“She’s my client,” Bucky replied and at Sam’s dubious look, he quickly explained. “Not that she’s gotten into any trouble or anything. Misty just uses our services. Nice lady.”

“Yeah, she is. I’ve only been working there for a few months but we’re practically friends now.”

Bucky grinned, “She’s pretty wild, isn’t she?”

“You have no idea.”

Sam proceeded to tell the story of one of the events that had been kept at the museum. There had been a new exhibit and to par, only the most elite of New York had been invited as guests at the opening. That had apparently included politicians since Senator Ross had made an unwanted appearance. Unwanted because he had been harassing some of the wait staff over the food. When Misty and Sam had gone over to diffuse the situation, Ross ended up insulting them and the museum on a whole. Misty had promptly told him that if he had a problem with them, he could take it up with her metal fist. Senator Ross had been well-behaved for the rest of the night.

Both Sam and Bucky were cracking up by the end of the story. Bucky took a few sips of wine to placate himself while he calmed down.

“Serves him right,” he said with a grin. “We’ve had to deal with him before on a case. You wouldn’t believe how glad I was once it was over.”

Sam smirked, “Trust me. I can imagine.”

Just then, their waiter came back with their appetizers and they began to eat as they talked.

“So, is that what you’ve been doing in D. C? Working in a museum?” Bucky asked, curiously.

“Yeah. I studied communications in university and to be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with my degree. I didn’t want to just sit on it but I knew I wanted to do something where I could get out there, you know?” Sam explained. “Besides that, as cliché as it sounds, I also like helping people. The only reason why I didn’t become a doctor is because I hated chemistry.”

Bucky chuckled, “Ah, I can still remember our classes. You always had a comeback for everything Mr. Meyers had to say.”

“Got to be ready to take down the bad guy at all times. Am I right?” Sam asked, shrugging. He took a bite of his food as he waited for an answer.

“Well, that’s one of the reasons why I became a lawyer. That and helping people out, which we seem to have in common.”

Bucky smiled at Sam and he found it hard not to return it.

“Must be why I volunteered at the VA,” he revealed, then almost winced at how it made him sound. He hope he wasn’t bragging but Bucky only seemed impressed at the new information, luckily.

“Really?”

“Uh, yeah. I used to volunteer when I still lived in D.C. I started spending time at the one down in Harlem now that I’m here. It’s my way of giving back. Reminds me of my brother.”

“Oh, right,” Bucky said, his face scrunching in concentration. Sam refused to think that it was cute. Absolutely not. “He’s in the Marines, right?”

“Mhm. 23 years and counting.”

“That’s good. He okay?”

Sam shrugged, “As okay as he can get staying in the middle of nowhere, Afghanistan.”

Bucky nodded with a small smile. Sam tried to think of something to say. He was saved from embarrassing himself when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He discreetly checked it and saw a text from Tony. Rolling his eyes, he began to stand up from the table and excused himself to the restroom. Once he was inside the bathroom, he pulled out his phone to text Tony back.

**From: Tony  
Sent: 7:02 p.m.**

_Need me to rescue you?_

**From: Sam  
Sent: 7:03 p.m.**

_No._

**From: Tony  
Sent: 7:03 p.m.**

_You sure?_

**From: Sam  
Sent: 7:04 p.m.**

_Yes, I’m sure. Don’t you have Pepper to go bother?_

**From: Tony  
Sent: 7:05 p.m.**

_She kicked me out. :(_

**From: Tony  
Sent: 7:05 p.m.**

_Of the lab. She kicked me out of the lab._

**From: Sam  
Sent: 7:06 p.m.**

_Too bad. I would have kicked you out of the building. Now, leave me alone._

**From: Tony  
Sent: 7:06 p.m.**

_I can still send a distraction._

**From: Sam  
Sent: 7:06 p.pm.**

_Bye Tony._

Tony was so lucky that Sam loved him. He silenced his phone and gave himself a once over in the mirror before leaving the restroom. When he made it back to the table, their entrees were already there but Bucky had yet to start eating.

“There you are,” he greeted Sam.

“Here I am. You didn’t start without me?”

“I was waiting for you to come out first.”

“Oh, thank you,” Sam said. He thought that it was actually kind of sweet that Bucky had waited on him. It was good manners after all.

As they ate, they kept the conversation flowing. They talked about high school and other things they did afterwards, all without acknowledging the elephant in the room. Sam was getting antsy the closer the date came to ending. He wondered when they were going to bring up the incident, if at all. Other than that, the date had been going well and he found that he was actually enjoying himself. It made him wonder what would have happened in high school. Would it have been like this? Would it have been worse? It was when they were eating dessert did he finally gain the courage to say something about it.

“I have to say, Sam,” Bucky started, looking down at his panna cotta, “I’m really glad that we got to do this.”

Sam swallowed his bite of cheesecake before answering. “Me too. Makes you wonder what would have happened if you hadn’t ditched me, huh?”

He hoped he didn’t sound salty. Who was he kidding? He _definitely_ sounded salty and if Bucky’s furrowed eyebrows were anything to go by, he noticed it as well.

“I’m sorry? Ditched you?” he questioned, sounding confused.

“Yeah. Don’t you remember our date that didn’t happen? You never showed up.”

Bucky shook his head, “Sam, what are you talking about? I did come. You were the one who changed your mind.”

“Who told you that?” Sam asked, gaping at the other man. Now, he was just as confused as Bucky.

“Tony did.”

“Tony told you I…” he trailed off as he began to put the pieces together. Tony had told Bucky that Sam had changed his mind about going out with him. Of course, Bucky had left after that. No wonder Sam had thought that he had been ditched.

“Sam?”

“You do realize what this means, don’t you?” he asked, slowly. “Tony lied. He told you that to make you go away and to make me think that you ditched me.”

“Seriously?” Bucky asked, his eyebrows raised. “Why would he do that?”

Sam frowned, “Oh, I’ll find out. Trust me.”

He wasn’t quite sure what had tempted his friend to do something like that (though he had his suspicions) but Sam was going to find out. It seemed as though Tony Stark had a little explaining to do.


	8. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the wait. I haven't been feeling well the past few days. Anyway, we're coming to the end and I have to admit, I'm gonna miss this. So, without further ado, here's another chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

Tony Stark was a dead man. Plain and simple. Sam had decided that as soon as he figured everything out and he wasn’t about to change his mind. At least he was able to finish his date with Bucky after reassuring the other man that he would deal with the situation. Bucky had even walked Sam to his car and left with a ‘goodnight’ and a kiss on the cheek that admittedly left his knees weak. Once he was back in his apartment, Sam thought about what he had learnt.

While he was pissed, it explained a lot of things. Why Tony didn’t want him to go on the date he just had, why the billionaire got twitchy whenever Bucky was mentioned and why he had freaked out when Sam had confronted him about getting over his feud with Steve. What Sam didn’t know was why Tony had lied. Sure, he figured that it had something to do with his one sided rivalry with Steve back in high school but that couldn’t just be it. He hoped not, because if it was, then Tony was going to regret being born.

Sam sighed. It just seemed so unlike his friend. Sure, Tony joked around a lot and he was a certified troublemaker, but only those closest to him knew that it was only on the surface. He wore his heart on his sleeve and he cared too much for the people around him. A lot had changed since high school but Tony was still like that. Sam just needed to figure out what had happened.

He got ready for bed and slid under the covers, thinking of a plan to confront Tony. He probably required a little assistance. Turning to pick up his phone from the nightstand, Sam started to text someone who he knew would be glad to help.

* * *

 

Tony walked into the living room, tapping away at his StarkPad as he absentmindedly wondered about his fiancée’s whereabouts. He hadn’t seen her since early that morning when she had left, claiming that she had a meeting. She had also claimed that said meeting would only last an hour or two. Yet still, it was almost noon and Pepper was nowhere to be found. Any attempts to contact were fruitless and Tony honestly was thinking about having JARVIS conduct a search party. He had kept himself busy working on a few incomplete projects without Pepper there to drag him away from the lab but he was worried.

He sighed, looking away from his device for a moment to search through the bar. It was only after he had fixed himself a drink and went to go sit on the couch did he finally realize that someone was there. Someone who looked way too comfortable waiting in a dark room.

“Oh, hey. When did you get in?” Tony asked, taking a sip of his whiskey. “And why are you sitting in the dark, Nosferatu? JARVIS, turn up the lights.”

There was no response from either person he had been talking to and Tony frowned. He put down his drink, looking around in confusion.

“JARVIS? J, you there?”

“I’m sorry, Tony, but JARVIS is going to be…unavailable for the next hour or so.”

“What?” Tony asked, whirling around to face the other person in the room. “What are you talking about?”

“JARVIS is currently blocked from taking your commands. He can’t answer you. Don’t worry, he agreed to this.”

Tony blinked, “You did this?”

A shrug and then, “With a little help, yeah. Like I said, JARVIS agreed to this once the situation was explained to him. We had a very nice chat beforehand.”

“You do realize that you’re being creepy, right?”

“That’s kind of the point.”

Tony watched cautiously as the other person stood up, calmly approaching him in the dark.

“I mean, I think I reserve the right to a little creepiness. Don’t you think, Tony? What’s a little joke between friends? Especially if they have to lie to make it work, you know?”

“Uh,” Tony swallowed nervously, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t? I could have sworn that someone like you would have been more acquainted with…deception, for lack of a better word.”

“Look, I don’t know any –”

“Turn on the lights, J.”

Tony squinted against the sudden light invading his vision. He found himself staring into the hard gaze of his friend and suddenly, the room didn’t seem so bright anymore.

“What I want to know is: why? Why’d you lie to me, Tony? To Bucky?”

“Sam, I –”

“You what? Didn’t want me to get together with your rival’s best friend? Come on, Tones, I know you better than that. What reason could you possibly have to lie about something as simple as a date?”

“Alright, alright,” Tony started, raising his hands in a placating manner, “I’ll admit it. I lied to you and it was horrible of me. I’m…sorry. I really am, but you have to know that it wasn’t my intention to hurt you.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “Tough break.”

“I was only trying to protect you! Part of the reason was because of my rivalry with Steve but that’s not just it. I didn’t want you to be with Bucky because I thought he wasn’t good enough for you. As your friend – your _best_ friend – I was only looking out for you. I went about it the wrong way, I know. I shouldn’t have lied. I just didn’t want you to settle for someone like Bucky. I wanted the best for you and at the time, I didn’t think that he was it.”

Sam stared at him for a moment, letting the information sink in. He crossed his arms, letting out a defeated sigh as he tried to think of something to say.

“Tony…I get it. You were trying to do your job as a friend but now, I don’t even know if that was such a good idea. Who knows what would have happened if I had gone out with Bucky? Maybe it wouldn’t turn out so well. Maybe it would have. Maybe we would have broken up at some point. I don’t know,” Sam shrugged. “But that’s just it. I don’t know what would have happened. Bucky and I could have probably been married with 2 kids by now but I’ll never be able to find out. You took my options away from me, Tony…and I don’t think I can easily forgive you for that.”

A heavy silence fell over the two friends as they contemplated each other’s words. There was a thick tension in the room between them, each defensive yet open at the same time. Eventually, Sam sighed and took a seat on the couch. Tony scrambled to fix the situation. He couldn’t stand the hurt expression on his friend’s face.

“I’m really sorry, Sam. I just thought you deserved better.”

“Yeah,” Sam rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, I got that. It’s just that my life could have been different.”

“What are you trying to say? That I ruined your life?”

Sam frowned, “I never…I think I should go. I’ll talk to you later.”

“What? Sam? Sam, come on!”

Tony watched forlornly as his best friend walked away from him, for the first time unsure if he was going to come back.


	9. And In Conclusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, people! I know, I know. It's been ages, but here's the last chapter. Hope you all enjoy it.

“So, you’re not going to make up with him?” Bucky asked, taking a bite of his ice cream.

“I…don’t know,” Sam replied, hesitantly. “And that is not how you eat ice cream.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? And this is how _I_ eat ice cream.”

“Well, it’s wrong,” Sam claim, ignoring the first part of Bucky had said.

The two of them were out by the pier eating ice cream. A perfect idea for the second date, Bucky had insisted. Sam had to admit that it was a great date, up until Bucky had mentioned Tony. Sam still hadn’t spoken to his friend since he confronted him and that had been almost a week ago. Their argument still weighed heavily on his mind and Sam just knew it: he missed his best friend.

“I find it just right,” Bucky said, then he smiled. “Just like this chemistry between us.”

Sam stopped, “That…that was…so bad.”

He laughed, trying not to spill his ice cream as Bucky grinned at him. They continued walking in silence for a moment and despite it being nice, Sam couldn’t shake the thought of his conversation with Tony out of his head. He snapped out of it when he saw Bucky gesture towards an empty bench. They sat down, turning slightly to face each other.

“You know,” Bucky started, staring down at his half eaten cone, “I actually don’t mind that he lied to us.”

Sam blinked, “You don’t?”

“Nope. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it was a dick move but I appreciate it. I get that he was only looking out for you and he didn’t think that I was right for you. Sure, he could have just said something but I like to think that it was better that he chose to send me away. I’ll admit that I wasn’t at my best at that age and I’m not sure how our relationship would have turned out. I was kind of an asshole.”

Sam smiled weakly, “I noticed but my crush on you did nothing to stop me.”

“True. My point is, though, that I like what we’re doing now. We’re both mature and we’re in a better place in our lives. I had time to grow up and I think that you deserve the best…which I’m willing to give if you let me.”

Bucky smiled at him hopefully and Sam couldn’t resist smiling back.

“Thanks, Bucky.”

“No problem. I was only telling the truth,” he said, then took a bite. “So, are you going to talk to him now?”

“I’ll think about it. In the meantime, why don’t you tell me who your dentist is? Cause there is no way you eat ice cream like that and still have such perfect teeth.”

Bucky barked out a laugh and Sam joined in. They continued to talk, finishing their ice cream and even then, waiting until the sun had set to leave. The perfect ending to a perfect day. So, why didn’t Sam feel satisfied?

* * *

 

Never let it be said that Tony didn’t try. He sat down for hours staring at his phone, trying to think of what to say to Sam. If the other man ever answered, that was. He made JARVIS run through a few possible scenarios but then scrapped the idea when none of them came out the way he wanted. Tony wasn’t usually at a loss for words but he also never usually found himself apologizing for such a big screw up.

He couldn’t just go up to his friend (?) and plainly say sorry. He wanted it to be sincere. He wanted – no, _needed_ Sam to see how genuinely guilty he felt. He couldn’t lie; he hoped that Sam would forgive him but knew not to expect it. Sam normally didn’t had a ‘no hard feelings’ vibe, especially when it came to Tony, but the billionaire knew that this was different. It wasn’t like the other times when he messed up.

Even so, Tony had let a week pass without doing much of anything. He wondered if Sam even wanted to hear from him again. At that thought, he sighed and dropped his screwdriver on the worktable. It clanged loudly, echoing in the silence of the lab.

“Having trouble, sir?”

“No, I’m just having a breakdown like I do every Friday. Really keeps the blood flowing, you know?”

“Of course, sir.”

Tony shook his head, wondering not for the first time why he built such a snarky AI. It was like talking to Niles from The Nanny. He picked up the screwdriver again, ready to continue working when JARVIS spoke up.

“It appears you have a guest.”

Tony frowned but put down his tool and reluctantly left his lab to head to the living area. He wondered who would be visiting him at such an hour. He got his answer when he turned into the room and caught sight of Sam talking to Pepper. The other man had his back turned so he didn’t notice as Tony froze in his steps, staring at his back.

Pepper glanced over Sam’s shoulder and raised a brow at her fiancé. She murmured something to Sam before heading in Tony’s direction, squeezing his arm as she passed him. Sam turned around, smiling weakly at his friend.

“Hey.”

His voice jolted Tony into movement, his feet carrying him across the room and over to Sam.

“Hi,” he paused. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk.”

Tony nodded, motioning towards the couch. After they had both sat down, it was silent for a few seconds and Tony had to force himself not to squirm. Things had never been this awkward between before. Not even when they first met. It was wrong. It made his chest ache.

“So,” Sam started, “I just wanted to –”

“I’m sorry,” Tony interrupted. “I know I’ve said it before a million times but I still feel like I haven’t said it enough. What I did was wrong and I just want you to know how sorry I am.”

Sam stared at him for a moment before sighing.

“I know you’re sorry, Tony. You don’t have to keep saying it,” he said. Tony opened his mouth but Sam lifted a hand to prevent him from speaking. “Just let me finish. Yes, what you did wrong and yes, I was upset about it. I figured you’d ruined one of best things that could have happened to me. But, I’m over it.”

“What?”

“I forgive you, Tony. I’ll admit that it wasn’t really my first thought, but someone said something that made me properly rethink things. Now, I’m over it.”

“It’s all in past?”

“So far in the past. Might need a time machine to get it.”

Tony allowed a small smirk to slip through, “I could probably build one.”

“No need,” Sam insisted before standing. “We good?”

Tony stood up as well, pretending to scratch his beard contemplatively.

“I don’t know. Maybe some groveling and –”

“Don’t push it.”

Tony smiled and felt it widen once his _friend_ returned the gesture. He opened his arms, full on grinning when he saw the suspicious look on Sam’s face.

“Come on. Bring it in,” he said, stepping closer to the other man.

“Man, I don’t have time for that,” Sam replied, frowning. His lips twitched, betraying his true thoughts.

“Just hug me.”

“No.”

“Come on. The one time I’m willingly – and soberly – offering physical affection and you turn me down?”

Sam smirked, “Yeah, but see, I got this thing. I should really go…”

He started walking away slowly, his steps quickening when Tony began to follow him.

“Sam!”

“No!”

“Sammy-Sam-Sam!”

“Don’t call me that!”

* * *

 

Sam watched, amused, as Pepper and Tony argued in the kitchen. Tony was trying to convince his fiancée to let him take her brownies out to the living room but Pepper declined, knowing that he would only eat them on the short way there. Sam had been watching their banter like a tennis match for the past minute and he was tempted to make a joke about dinner and a show. An arm wrapping around his waist interrupted his thoughts.

“What’s taking so long?”

“Just watching these two have it out.”

Bucky hummed, glancing over at the mentioned couple before looking back at Sam with a sly smile.

“Am I not good enough entertainment for you?”

Sam smiled, “Nah. You’re making me bored, man. My niece has better storytelling skills than you and she’s three.”

“I’ll just have to make it up to you then,” Bucky murmured, turning to face him fully. Sam smirked, leaning in for a kiss. It only lasted for a few seconds before there was a gagging noise from behind them.

“Alright, Ellen and Portia, break it up. No one said you had to be making out in the middle of my living room.”

“Oh, shut up,” Sam retorted. “Like you two are any better on a good day. I don’t know how Rhodey puts up with you.”

He took the plate of brownies from a blushing and slightly exasperated Pepper, turning to put them on the coffee table. Out of the corner of his eye, Steve and Natasha walked in from the balcony and made their way over to the group.

“You leave my platypus out of this,” Tony demanded, pointing a finger at Sam. The other man smacked it away and they quickly dissolved into a mini slap fight. Before they could take it anywhere, they were both pulled back by Natasha and Pepper. Sam went easily, seating himself beside Bucky on the loveseat. He rolled his eyes at Tony who was sticking his tongue out at him from his spot on the couch beside Pepper. Steve and Natasha took the other couch and they all began to talk, eating and laughing as they spent away the night. So, maybe Sam hadn’t gotten the date he had wanted but he couldn’t help but think that this was infinitely better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how was it? Good for a last chapter? Anyway, I had fun writing this and I hope you all as much fun reading it. Thanks for reading!


End file.
